Life beyond the loss.

Do you, take this granola…

Do you ever find yourself to be the kind of person who comes across something great, only to find that everyone else has already known about it for months? Yeah, I’m that way with food. My eating habits are pretty routine – routinely dull. I can eat the same thing for breakfast or for lunch – for weeks. I can read about a cool tip on healthier eating while the rest of the planet says, ‘Really? We’ve been doing that for months. Where exactly have you been?’

Enter three words that are new to my language as I step out of the dark ages: Protein and Greek Yogurt. For the longest time I’ve been hearing the songs of praise from one end of the Internet to the other about the heavenly bliss that is Greek Yogurt. So, right on schedule in the World-of-Ellen, or more realistically speaking, about 8 months later than the cool kids, I decided I’d better find out what all the fuss was about.

My original thought was that since I don’t eat much meat, I should probably incorporate more protein into my diet. Protein used to be high on the diet radar when Atkins was the rage, but then it died down for a while. Now that it’s back in the headlines once again I thought I’d re-educate myself on the benefits of eating more protein. According to WebMD, incorporating more protein into one’s diet will allow for a more satisfied fullness after eating, and for a longer period of time. Protein also aids in tissue repair, and helps build skin, hair, nails and cartilage.

That’s great news and all, but I had no idea how much protein I should be eating a day. One quick Google search later, I found a Protein Calculator (don’t you just love the Internet?) If you want to know how much protein you should be eating a day, click here to find out.

Once I felt educated enough, I decided to go out and buy some new protein-friendly goodies for breakfast. It’s been so flippin’ hot here, my usual steaming bowl of oats now has me running for the hills in retaliation. My mission: go on the hunt for a lo-cal yet satisfying cold breakfast alternative.

I have to say, I can see why Greek Yogurt is all the rage. I bought Stonyfield’s Organic Oikos Nonfat Plain. It has the consistency of sour cream – thick and dreamy. And frankly, I had no idea how much protein is packed in just 5 ounces: 15 grams! The calorie count isn’t too shabby either at only 80 calories. That gives me plenty of wiggle-room to add some granola, and I found the perfect brand after spending 10 minutes looking at the nutritional stats of countless bags in the cereal isle of my grocery store:

Finding a granola with respectable stats is not an easy task. The average granola cereal has anywhere from 200 to 250 calories per half cup (is it me, or is that just insane?) I must confess, I bought this bag solely on the fact that it had the lowest calorie count of the brands offered, and because I could pronounce all of the ingredients. I didn’t expect to fall head over heels, but Erin Baker’s Granola is simply wonderful. It’s not overly sweet, and if you like your granola a bit chewy, you will LOVE this. By the way, Erin Baker did not ask me to endorse this product; I’m simply sharing it with you because I love it enough to want to marry it.

So, what else have I been missing out on? I keep hearing about this really cool movie; it’s called Avatar. Also, there’s some new female pop singer that’s supposedly really popular. Oh, what’s her name….Lady Gaga? ;)

Post navigation

30 thoughts on “Do you, take this granola…”

Ellen, seriously!!! People rave about the wonders of the nectar of the Gods all the time – how could you have not checked it out yet? Chobani is my favorite brand, followed by Fage, and Stonyfield. A word of warning: the Yoplait Greek is GROSS in my opinion.

Funny! I avoid granola. I really need to write all cereals off my list… to tempting for snacking. Except Uncle Sams, which is too small to snack on, and my cereal of choice for the rare times I eat yogurt. That calculator is interesting. I have to make a conscious effort to eat more protein. I’d live on carbs if I could.

Carbs are generally my enemy as well. In fact, I can eat a meal made up entirely of carbs and never get tired of it. I’ve found though, that if I know the calorie count of something I almost always eat less of it because I feel too guilty otherwise. One good example of ignorance NOT being bliss!

I was hoping I could make you feel more “cool” and say I have just tried Greek Yogurt myself….. but I have been a “cool kid” for a over a year now! Chobani is my favorite. It is really expensive- though. My husband just started making homemade Greek Yogurt- so we are saving TONS of money. I am with Karen as well- cereal is a major trigger food for me. I either add sugar free jams or fruit to mine. Welcome to the Cool Kid Club!!!

I CANNOT have granola in my house. I used to make it (similar to Costco variety). Lord knows how many calories it was loaded down with. I am with the others… cereal is a problem for me. My hubs loves apple jacks – I find myself singing their commercial all day as I think about them in the cupboard! Shredded squares. That is IT!

I love me some fage. Plain. I cook dinner with it a LOT. I make cheese with it. I add honey or fresh vanilla bean to it. Slop it into smoothies. I use it to offset the cards in fruit. Fruit makes my stomach growl and yogurt seems to quell that.

omg, Koolots – the fact that I KNOW what those are screams how old I feel right now. You know those will make a comeback someday and when they do, we’ll be ready!! LOL
I would be very interested in knowing how to cook with this stuff. You make cheese?? How cool is that?! I’m so far behind on these things, and glad I have people to help me discover all of these other great things I’m missing out on!

OK you can’t just announce that you cook a lot and make cheese with greek yogurt without sharing how!!! I make my own too, no added anything. I have it for breakfast with my oats, almond meal and protein powder and again late afternoon with 1/8 cup slivered almonds. Yep that is every. single. day. No, I don’t get bored. I really look forward to it everyday!

I’m not a huge fan of the Greek yogurt because it doesn’t make my smoothies taste as nice unless I buy the vanilla kind and then it’s more sugar and less protein. I do love sour cream but that’s not a taste I want in my smoothie.
Oh and I’ve never done that granola and yogurt thing. I’ve only eaten granola in the form of granola bars.

The first time I tasted the plain, I did not like it at ALL. I still have to doctor mine up to make it good, but it doesn’t take away from the taste of what you put in with it. That’s what I like the best about it (well, that and the excuse to eat granola!)

I didn’t know about the wonders of Greek yogurt until a few years ago myself. What a game changer!
And I hear you on the granola! I usually just skip it and crumble cereal on top of my yogurt for breakfast if I’m wanting crunchies.

My new “discovery” is cottage cheese. Who knew it was versatile and healthy?! It can’t have been on the market long or I’m sure I would’ve known this.

You crack me up! Hey, better late than never, right? Loved the link to calculate how much protein you should be eating and I’ve never heard of Erin Baker’s granola. Will definitely have to look for it in the stores.

The one thing I’m not very good at is balancing my carbs with protein with fats, etc. I’m so glad for these types of calculators that help in this area.
Hope things are slowing down at your house, Jan. Thinking of you

I’m totally a reluctant granola-eater too – when I finally tried some, it was purely because the calorie stats were the least bad (but still bad in my book). While I love the flavor, I stick to cereal instead. I’m adventurous like that.

Oh, and I’m always discovering the “hot” things (especially in food) years after everyone else. Enter oatmeal. Apparently people ate it even BEFORE it was a hot blogging commodity… =)

I didn’t like oatmeal as a kid and never ate it as a young adult. It’s funny, but I always thought it was an ‘old peoples’ cereal – like Fiber One. Now, I can’t imagine my life without it (and I eat Fiber One all of the time.)

You’re so funny! I still haven’t seen Avatar either.
I did finally try Greek Yogurt because it’s on my very limited food list right now. And I really like it too.
I can’t have granola at the moment, but I love it with one packet of Stevia. I like my fruit on the side.

Ha!! You kinda remind me of me, although I jumped on the Greek yogurt/granola/fruit-for-breakfast bandwagon almost two years ago…I’ve heard that it’s almost pointless to eat non-fat yogurt as it’s the fat that delivers the nutrients/protein, so I’ve been eating 2% Greek, but less, like three to four ounces.

Your comment has me wanting to know more about this. It is SO easy to assume that non-fat is just – better. I think that is burned into my brain. I’m going to read on about this so I can better educate myself on the benefits of good fats. Thanks.
Also on another note, SO happy that you’re going to head back to yoga

While I declared my love for Greek yogurt earlier granola (or muesli as we call it here in Australia!) is something I don’t eat. I used to make my own and it was WAY `better’ than commercial in that I added heaps of extras which made it even more delicious. I don’t mean other people shouldn’t eat it just that I cannot manage to eat a `serving’ so prefer to not get started on it …. I am intrigued that people don’t eat the two together though. That is a standard breakfast on offer in restaurants here – greek yogurt, muesli and fresh fruit, usually with honey too.